George Clooney has ruled out a future bid to become the US President and has sympathised with Barack Obama.

8:14AM BST 01 Sep 2011

The actor, who is known for his humanitarian work, said that he did not envy Mr Obama's job and praised the President's "compassion".

He said: "As for running for president, look, there's a guy in office right now who is smarter than almost anybody you know, who's nicer and who has more compassion than almost anybody you know and he's having an almost impossible time governing.

"Why would anyone really volunteer for that job? I have a really good job."

He was promoting his new film The Ideas of March, which features Ryan Gosling in the central role of press attache Stephen Myers, a devoted employee to Clooney's governor Mike Morris.

Both characters emerge as morally ambivalent figures faced with stark choices as Myers becomes embroiled in a high-stakes game of sex, power and horse-trading in a critical look at the reality behind political rhetoric.

Thanks Katie for the video. G said a few years ago to, I think it was Bono, that he wouldn't like the responsibility of being a politician, he likes being an actor because the roles he plays don't have to be true, i.e. no responsibility.

George isn't one to shirk responsibility, really. He cares too much about things. The care he took with GN&GL, Syriana, MC, Darfur and Sudan. He is responsible for so much that is good. He just doesn't want responsibility in his private life - wife, children, politics.

I can understand his not wanting the kind of responsibility that goes with politics. His inate honesty would be in such stark contrast with the political game, he would be at odds with most of those around him. Politics is a dirty business, backbiting, lying, dirty deals, cheating constituents.